Gentrification?

[Hermod]

I always thought "gentrification" meant people with money coming in and buying chunks of property at low prices, Putting in lots of improvements, making it nice so more people noticed and came in at low prices, and made improvements, until suddenly property values increased, then rents went up and current residents could not afford to stay.

Rents go up for the renters and taxes go up for the owners. People are economically forced from their homes which then leads to more gentrification.

[Wesley Mouch]

Rents go up for the renters and taxes go up for the owners. People are economically forced from their homes which then leads to more gentrification.

... and the next thing you know, your city's not going broke. City Hall hires more people. A coffee shop opens. Your kids have jobs in the community.

Gentrification is good. This isn't a racial thing at all. Look at Old Redford. Motor City Java House. Next thing you know, they're playing chess on the street --> http://g.co/maps/8vmnm

[dmike76]

I've been over to Old Redford recently. I worked with the Blight Busters for a weekend or two last month and I was very impressed with that block. It's an oasis in a desert of ruin. Is it gentrification or local people caring about their neighborhood and taking it back from the criminal element of that area? I tend to think it's the latter.

[Wesley Mouch]

I've been over to Old Redford recently. I worked with the Blight Busters for a weekend or two last month and I was very impressed with that block. It's an oasis in a desert of ruin. Is it gentrification or local people caring about their neighborhood and taking it back from the criminal element of that area? I tend to think it's the latter.

What's the difference? Are the results the same in your mind? Or is there a difference other than in what one thinks is in the minds of the new residents? Is a black family from Birmingham moving into Old Redford gentrification?

As Detroit thrives, this will become an issue.

[dmike76]

Yes, I think that there is a difference. If you follow the definition of gentrification being thrown around in this thread, we are talking about forcing out people of lower income in favor of 'richer' people that take better care of the area. I am talking about people of any income class in that area fixing it up by contributing any way that they can. You don't have to make a bunch of money to care about your home and your community. In my earlier post I talked about forcing out the 'criminal element'. People of lower income aren't necessarily criminals.

[Danny]

Some folks on this forum got the point. Gentrification is not about race, its about improving certian areas that are blighted and once filled with drug dealers, gangs, street violence, squatters, vacant and condemed buildings by eliminating low class folks and replace it with higher income folks. Downtown Detroit, Jefferson Village, Herman Gardens, Morningside, Lafayette Park, Brush Park, Woodbridge Estates, midtown and certain once blighted urban prarie ghettohoods of Detroit are being transformed into real neighborhoods once again.

In Chicago's Near North Side near the Gold Coast neighborhood. The CHA had to eliminate the Cabrini-Green Apartments Complex due to 50 years of street violence, the heavy flow of gangs turning the complexes into a drug emporium or should I say "DRUGS R US." However when new housing arouse from its urban praries, CHA and its private developers make sure that the residents of formwe Cabrini-Green apartment complexes gets first priority of those luxury homes through section 8 vouchers. The project worked and many wealthy folks are living with low-income folks creating a better urban enviroment for their families and children. The project can do the same in Detroit. Even though gentrification could be bad for low-income folks ot other low-income folks it could their savior from blight. Detroit will continue to be gentrified by any means neccessary. Private real estate companies give a hoot if Detroit is flat broke and filled with black folks, po-folks, mutants, schizos, pigeon rats, crazy street preachers and Coleman Young struggle folks. Once they can change a community for the better or for greed and money and power, Either Detroiters step in to get out of their way.


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